Spencer Strider rebuilt his mental approach to become an ace
On April 24, the Braves’ Spencer Strider delivered one of the top performances by a starting pitcher this season. He pitched eight scoreless innings at Atlanta’s Truist Park and retired the first 18 Marlins hitters. He allowed only two hits, struck out 13 and walked none.Strider did not even consider it his best performance of the month.“I didn’t have 100 percent focus on every pitch,” Strider said. “I was just kind of throwing pitches. And for whatever reason, they just didn’t hit the ball.”Strider’s heightened self-awareness did not come naturally. As a freshman at Clemson ...